Findings
by Ivvic
Summary: Cross over of NW and VD, Raven Johnson finds her soulmate
1. Findings

Disclaimers - I don't own most characters, just Raven and her family. Pretty much everyone else belongs to the dah-ling, talented auther L. J. Smith.  
Cross over of Night World series and Vampire Dairies.  
  
Part 1:   
  
Raven ran. She wasn't running from some one. It would seem  
like she was. She was running as fast as she ever had. She was  
running from something. At times when she ran like this it she felt  
like she was running to something.   
  
Raven pushed her body, straining for more speed. Already she  
was going faster then any human ever could. Faster then most of her  
kind.   
  
'My kind,' she thought bitterly. Raven Johnson didn't have a  
kind. She didn't belong to any race. She was a mix. Half witch and  
half lamia, a vampire.   
  
Raven went through moods. At times she hated herself for what  
she was. Others she embraced the difference. She spiced up life.  
Threw in a little variety. Her other moods were where she hated  
human, considered them vermin, or liked them. It was sort of like  
having a spilt personality.   
  
Raven was running from her self-hatred, her anger. She was  
trying to run from life, knowing that she never could. But it could  
get her so exhausted that when she went home she would go to sleep  
and not dream. Being totally unconscious sometimes seemed like the  
only peace she got.   
  
Even though she was mainly tuning out the world, lost in her  
own little world her predator senses picked up the noises of prey.  
No, she decided. It was prey being hunted. Raven also realized it  
was human.   
  
That meant the hunter was either a shape-shifter, were-wolf or  
another vampire. Raven decided to go see which. Besides, she liked  
to watch others work. Her feet carried her swiftly to where the  
gasps of breath were coming from.   
  
She ran through the trees and came out on the other side of  
the bluff. She skidded to a stop and her breath caught in her  
throat. There was a vampire walking up to Mary who was scooting  
away as fast as she could.   
  
The vampire wore a triumphant grin as he crouched in front of  
her. Raven was very close to Mary and there was no way she was  
going to let this happen.   
  
"Get away from my sister," Raven's clear voice called out. The  
vampire stiffened and turned so his attention was on her.   
  
"Why? We both know she isn't your real sister, now is she?" he  
said in a smooth Italian voice.   
  
He was right. The Johnson's were humans who had adopted her  
when she was about a year old. Her parents were running from the  
Night Word and didn't want to mess up Raven's life because of it so  
they had just left her on Circle Daybreak's door step and cut off  
all contact.   
  
"It doesn't matter. You touch her and you'll die, slowly and  
painfully. She's hurt already so you're still going to die. But  
I'll give you the opportunity to run and if I catch you I'll make  
it quick."   
  
He threw back his head in derisive laughter.   
  
"I doubt you could catch me. Even if you could you wouldn't be  
able to hurt me," he told Raven.   
  
"I'm glad you believe that. I've been itching for a good  
fight. I hope you'll give me one."   
  
"Oh, I will… I will. I hope you can say the same for  
yourself." After he finished speaking he launched himself at Raven.  
She saw the slight, almost imperceptible movement of his leg  
muscles that let her know what he was going to do.   
  
She jumped out of the way and jumped on him. He hadn't  
expected it and they both went rolling. The boy threw Raven off of  
him and she hit the ground with a grunt. She had landed hard on her  
shoulder but she was up in seconds.   
  
They circled each other warily for a couple seconds. Then in  
one accord they rushed each other throwing punches. The boy punched  
her hard in the stomach, knowing the wind out of her. She had to  
struggle not to double over.   
  
Raven snarled and swung at him, putting her full weight behind  
the throw. Her fist caught the dark-haired stranger squarely on his  
jaw. His head snapped to the side and he stumbled back a few  
seconds.   
  
Raven saw her opportunity and pounced on him. She pinned his  
arms to his sides with one arm. With her other hand she tilted back  
his head, very nearly snapping his neck. Then she bit him.   
  
The boy's blood wouldn't sustain her but she didn't care.  
Vampire blood was thicker, darker, magical with the hidden promises  
of the Night World. Drinking another vampire's blood meant you were  
the stronger. They were weaker. The prey. Besides, she thought, it  
would weaken him for a while.   
  
The boy knew that and knew that was precisely what Raven was  
going to try for. He struggled trying to get away but Raven just  
held on tighter. Raven almost dropped him with what happened next.   
  
She could feel his thoughts. That was normal, but it was more  
then the usual. She could feel his very soul. She was in his mind  
and he was in hers. In an instant she knew why. They were  
soulmates.   
  
The boy, whose name was Damon, didn't know that. He was  
currently freaking out.   
  
/What the hell are you doing to me?/ he raged. /Stop it you  
witch!/   
  
/I'm not doing it, calm down. Do you know what soulmates are?/  
Raven knew he had heard the theory but didn't believe it.   
  
/No! We are not soulmates. There's no such thing!/ he snapped.  
  
Damon was scared. He didn't want somebody who could see into  
his mind. He didn't want anybody to be able to see his innermost  
secrets. More importantly Damon didn't want to fall in love.   
  
Damon Salvatore had no intention of ever letting somebody into  
his heart ever again. It was too painful. Old wounds were still  
fresh in his memory no matter how hard he tried to forget. Damon  
didn't want any more.   
  
Raven's mind was silent as she listened to what was going  
through his head. She felt sorry for him. Damon felt the emotion  
and his fear changed into anger instantly.   
  
/I don't need your pity,/ he snarled. He jerked away from  
Raven and just stared at her for a second with pupils dilated with  
emotion. Then he shook himself and ran.   
  
"He's fast," Mary said in a voice strained with pain. It was  
true. The boy was running as fast as Raven had been earlier. Raven  
turned to her sister. Her ankle was bent at a disturbing angle.   
  
"My foot caught it a hole and I fell," the petite girl  
explained.   
  
"Here, I'll help you up." Raven put her arm around Mary's  
waist and hauled her up. They went forward a few steps, with Mary  
leaning heavily on Raven. Mary gasped out in pain, a few tears  
escaping her eyes.   
  
"This isn't going to do. I'll just have to carry you, that's  
all," Raven decided. She bent and slung her other arm behind Mary's  
knees. Raven walked swiftly to where their car was. They weren't  
that far from where raven had started running. She was just making  
circles as she let off steam.   
  
"Thanks. If you hadn't have come along…" Mary trailed off.   
  
"Don't think about it. Besides, what else was I supposed to  
do? You're my sister." Mary nodded. Raven helped her into the  
passenger seat of the car and ran around to the other side.   
  
"What were you doing out here anyway? I thought I told you it  
was to dangerous to be by your self."   
  
"I know, I was waiting for you by our car. Circle Daybreak  
called," Mary said reluctantly. She wasn't sure if Raven would like  
the news or not.   
  
"What'd they say?" Raven said tensely. It had to be important  
for Mary to come and track her down.   
  
"They found out who your parents are."   
  
"Really? Cool, did they say who?" Raven asked shocked. She  
hadn't really expected to ever find out. A friend had said he would  
look into it, as a way to pay off a debt Raven didn't really think  
he had. But if it would make him feel better she had let him try.   
  
"No, the guy said he wanted to talk to you. He wouldn't even  
tell me his name. Just that he would call back." They drove in  
silence after that until they reached the emergency room.   
  
Raven plucked her sister from the car and carried her to the  
emergency room and completed the forms and signed the papers the  
nurse handed her as Mary was looked at. 


	2. Findings

Part 2:   
  
Damon ran for all he was worth. He had to get away from that  
girl who had bewitched him. He knew the dangers of being close to  
someone all to well. He went to his hotel room and collapsed on the  
bed.   
  
The girl had taken to much blood for comfort. Now that he was  
relatively safe the adrenaline had disappeared and now he felt how  
weak he was. Sleep might help a little but what he really needed to  
do was feed.   
  
He hadn't done so all day. That wretched girl had taken away  
his dinner. Raven, some part of his mind whispered. It was the same  
part that had recognized the girl as his soulmate.   
  
Damon banished the thought immediately. There were no such  
things as soulmates. It was just lust on his part. He had to admit  
the girl was beautiful. Raven colored hair seemed to shine with  
different colors in the moonlight. A delicately chiseled face and a  
nice, full figure.   
  
Damon started to get up to go out and look for an easy meal  
but fell unconscious onto the bed.   
  
An hour or so later the girls got home from the hospital.   
  
"Where have you been?" their mother, Kelly Johnson demanded.   
  
"A vampire attacked me and when I was running I broke my ankle  
so we had to go to the hospital," Mary explained. "This darling  
sister of mine has transformed into my knight in shining armor."   
  
"Oh my Goddess! You fought I vampire. Well you came out of it  
ok. You're still alive. I hope you didn't kill him," Mrs. Johnson  
exclaimed.   
  
"No, he'll live," Raven said in a subdued voice.   
  
"Are you alright though?" Robert Johnson asked. He had been  
listening to the conversation from his spot in the living room. He  
noticed his daughter didn't sound all right.   
  
"I'm fine. Just thinking," she added when he opened his mouth  
to press the subject further. He didn't believe her but let it go.  
He decided to talk with her later.   
  
"Do you girls want some hot chocolate?" Mrs. Johnson asked  
hustling them into the kitchen. She put a pot on the stove and  
turned the burner on. Then she disappeared for a minute.   
  
"Who gets to sign the cast first?" she asked tossing Mary a  
black permanent marker. She poured milk and some mix into the pot.   
  
"You can Raven, you saved my life after all," Mary said  
holding out the marker.   
  
"You could have whipped his butt if I had let you. I was just  
doing the older sister over protection thing," Raven said with a  
mischief grin.   
  
"But your younger," Mary protested indignantly.   
  
"Your point would be? I have the role down perfectly. You keep  
me out of trouble and I get you out of it when ever you manage to  
get into trouble."   
  
The girls laughed knowing that it was true. Mary would always  
tell Raven what not to do when she was going to do it. And Raven  
would help Mary whenever she would get in trouble with Night  
Worlders. Both girls had wonderful mouths on them and whenever they  
weren't in a good mood it always got them into fights and what not.  
  
Raven took the marker and wrote her name with added flourish  
and drew a raven like she did when writing notes in school. Mary  
giggled. Raven had a couple different birds. A cute funny little  
one with a smiley face, one that looked like it would come off the  
paper and peck your eyes out and one that looked regal. Raven had  
drawn the first.   
  
"It's so cute!" she exclaimed. It's different then normal, oh  
I see what it is! You crossed his eyes, and is he sticking out his  
tongue?"   
  
"Just barely. I was wondering if you'd catch that," Raven said  
with a giggle. "That's your raven. I won't draw it for any one  
else."   
  
"Thanks," Mary told her leaning over from her seat and hugging  
her.   
  
"Oh! That's adorable," Mrs. Johnson exclaimed as she handed  
them each a mug of steaming hot chocolate.   
  
"Umm. Smells delicious." Raven said sipping at it. "Tastes  
perfect," she announced.   
  
"I would hope so. I hate it when it skims," Mrs. Johnson  
chattered away. She carried two cups out to the living room and sat  
next to her husband as she handed him one.   
  
Mary decided to go to bed when she was done, as the pain  
relievers were making her sleepy. Raven went up to her own room and  
changed into her pajamas. She didn't go to sleep though. Instead  
she lay in bed and wrote in her diary.   
  
A little later her dad came up to her door and knocked. She  
knew who it was from years of listening to how he stepped as he  
walked.   
  
"Come in Dad. What do you want?"   
  
"To talk. Is something bothering you, Blackbird?" he asked  
sitting on the end of her bed. Blackbird was a family pet name and  
no one but them were aloud to call her it.   
  
"Sort of. That boy who attacked Marygold, he's my soulmate,"  
Raven told him.   
  
"That's wonderful that you found him. You're other half, that  
is. I'm just not sure I'm happy about who he is," Mr. Johnson said  
with a chuckle.   
  
"Normally I'd be thrilled, but he freaked out. He doesn't  
believe in soulmates and really doesn't want one. He's afraid of  
falling on love. I didn't see why though," she told her father.   
  
Raven told her father a lot of things. He was her confidant.  
Raven didn't talk as much to her mother because she seemed to  
disapprove of keeping any kind of secret. Of in which case Raven  
had found out the hard way.   
  
Whatever Raven couldn't or didn't want to talk with anyone  
else she would discuss with her dad. And whatever she didn't feel  
like talking to him about went into her diary.   
  
"That's to bad, honey. But I'm sure he'll come around. You  
might want to try and find him and talk to him in a couple of days.  
Is there anything else you want to talk about?" he asked after  
there was a pause.   
  
"No, thank you Dad," she replied, scooting under the covers.   
  
"Then I'm headed to bed so I'll see you in the morning. Night  
Blackbird." Mr. Johnson leaned over her and kissed her forehead.  
Raven turned her head and kissed his cheek. She felt a stubble  
brush her lips.   
  
"Shave in the morning," she called to his retreating form.   
  
"What, you don't like the beard look?" he asked.   
  
"Not on you," she answered with a laugh. He closed the door  
and Raven switched off the lamp on her bedside table and settled  
down to sleep.   
  
Damon woke up the next morning knowing he had to feed. And  
soon. His whole upper and lower jaws ached with the need. His veins  
felt like they were dry and cracked.   
  
But he was too weak to get up. He struggled not to faint but  
despite his efforts he fell back on the bed. His last thought  
before he went into swirling mists of darkness was that he would  
probably never wake up again.   
  
That morning Raven woke up feeling off. Not sick, just wrong  
somehow. She dressed and went down the stairs to breakfast trying  
to shrug off the feeling.   
  
"Do you feel ok?" Mrs. Johnson asked as Raven poked at her  
food.   
  
"I'm not sick. I just feel off balance somehow," Raven said  
trying to explain the feeling.   
  
"Do you want to stay home today?" Mr. Johnson asked as he  
walked up to the table.   
  
"I guess. Maybe I just need sleep or something," she  
suggested.   
  
"That must be it. Now I want you to promise you'll sleep some  
today while we're at work. You can warm yourself some chicken soup  
for lunch," Mrs. Johnson decided for her. She was out the door to  
catch her carpool without even waiting for an answer.   
  
"Bye," three voices yelled after her. She yelled something  
even Raven's sensitive hearing couldn't make out.   
  
"I think she said good-bye. I don't know," Raven told them.   
  
Just then the phone rang. Raven picked it up on the third  
ring.   
  
"Raven? It's me, Justin. Did Mary tell you the news?"   
  
"Yes, she did. Who is it?"   
  
"Linda and Frank Wolfe," Jason announced cheerfully. Your  
fathers a lost witch and your mother's a lamia. You have a brother  
named Gabriel who's only vampire traits are better senses and  
telepathy. Other then that he's a witch baby. His father thinks  
he's psychic and sent him to Durham."   
  
"I've heard of that school," Raven said as he paused.   
  
"He killed a girl there and another guy, which he claims was  
in self defense and is currently in some prison."   
  
"Thanks Justin. Is that all?" Raven asked forcing herself to  
be polite.   
  
"I have their addresses if you want them," he offered  
tentatively, realizing even over the phone that Raven wasn't in the  
best of moods.   
  
"Maybe later. I'll talk to you later. Bye Justin." Justin said  
goodbye as Raven was hanging up the phone.   
  
"Go wait in the car for me, Marygold," Mr. Johnson said as she  
started to ask Raven questions. "Raven, concentrate on why you're  
feeling wrong."   
  
Raven looked at him questioningly but complied.   
  
"It's my soulmate. Something's not right with him," Raven  
exclaimed suddenly.   
  
"I thought as much. Why don't you try and find him. Figure out  
what's wrong. Call if you won't be back by dinner."   
  
"Thank Dad, love you. Bye," she called over her shoulder as  
she picked up her and Mary's car keys.   
  
Raven waved to Mary who was wearing a confused expression.  
Then she shot out of the driveway and went to where she had last  
seen Damon. She wasn't sure how to find him but that seemed like as  
good a place as any. 


	3. Findings

Part 3:   
  
She jumped out of the car when she got there and tried to find  
his mind signature. When she found it she got back into the car and  
followed it slowly so as not to lose the faint traces.   
  
Eventually she pulled up to a motel. She parked in front of it  
and found which room she was sure was his. She knocked loudly on  
the door. All her vampire senses told her that no one was in that  
room.   
  
But the soulmate link told her otherwise. Damon didn't answer.  
She knocked louder and called out his name, putting her hand on the  
doorknob. She waited a few seconds and opened the door. It was  
unlocked which worried her.   
  
Raven shut and locked the door behind her as she surveyed the  
room. Damon was lying flat on his back on the end of the bed. His  
feet were off the edge and just barely brushed the floor.   
  
Raven was at his side in second, kneeling on the floor. Damon  
was deathly pale, unnaturally so even for a vampire. He was on the  
verge of dying. Raven nearly kicked herself because she knew it was  
because she had taken too much blood from him last night.   
  
She was surprised he wasn't dead yet. She shoved her  
shirtsleeve up and tore at her wrist with her long canines. There  
was enough witch in her blood to do Damon some good but she didn't'  
know if it would do enough good.   
  
She held her bleeding wrist against Damon's mouth, praying to  
every god and goddess she could think of, that he would drink it.  
After a couple of seconds she saw him swallow reflexively. He was  
still unconscious and Raven knew it wasn't enough.   
  
Damon needed human blood. Raven couldn't think of any way to  
get some to him. She knew that if he got a donor the blood lust  
would take control of him and the person wouldn't have a chance of  
survival.   
  
And she couldn't just leave and go pick somebody off the  
streets for him. She didn't think he'd still be alive by the time  
she got back.   
  
Raven sat with her wrist to Damon's mouth for another fifteen  
minutes. Then she got up and called her Dad at work.   
  
"Hello?" his voice came over the phone.   
  
"Daddy, I found Damon. He's dying!" she said in a shaky voice.  
  
"Why? What happened to him?"   
  
Raven had to take a deep long breath before she could answer.  
"When he was going after Mary we fought and I drank his blood, you  
know. But then we ended up in each other's minds and I didn't stop  
until he pulled away. I have no clue how much I took and now he's  
dying because I took too much."   
  
"Calm down honey. Have you given him any blood?"   
  
"Some of mine but it won't do enough to help him live. He'd  
have to drain me dry twice because there's too much vampire in me."  
  
"Is there any other way you can get him blood?"   
  
"Maybe from an animal. But once he wakes up and starts feeding  
the blood lust will over power him. That's why I can't get him the  
human blood he needs."   
  
"Where are you, Blackbird?" Raven gave the address and said  
goodbye. She wasn't sure what her father planned on doing but it  
had to be better then what she could do. Raven didn't seem to be  
able to tear herself away from Damon's side.   
  
Raven bit her already healed wrist and tried to revive Damon  
again. He still hadn't woken up by the time Raven's dad had gotten  
there. Raven refused to let him come in the room in case Damon woke  
up and went after him.   
  
So Raven talked to him outside of the room. He had brought her  
Boxer, their pet.   
  
"Why'd you bring him?"   
  
"You know that we were going to take him to the pound soon to  
have him put to sleep. He's an old dog. Try and get Damon to drink  
him," Mr. Johnson told her.   
  
"What about Mom and Marygold?" Raven asked shocked.   
  
"They'll understand. They'd do it them selves in your  
position. I hope it helps," he kissed Raven 's cheek and instructed  
her to call if she needed anything.   
  
Raven and her Dad gave Boxer a final pat and Raven dutifully  
took him into the motel room. Feeling sorry for the dog she knocked  
him unconscious before she cut his throat.   
  
She only really nicked it, wanting Damon to come around and  
bite the dog on his own. She took some of the blood on her fingers  
and smeared it on Damon's lips. Then she held her fingers under  
Damon's nose, letting him get the scent.   
  
Raven held her breath as she waited for a reaction. After a  
few minutes Damon's tongue brushed his lips, tasting the blood.  
Raven pulled back her hand as Damon's eyes snapped open and he  
looked for the source of the blood. His eyes landed on Boxer and he  
lifted himself far enough off the bed to get to Boxer's blood  
easily.   
  
Damon was still lying on the bed as he drained the dog. When  
he was finished he lay back on the bed in pretty much his original  
position. Then he noticed Raven. He scrabbled up so he was sitting  
then he scooted back until he bumped into the headboard.   
  
"What the hell are you doing here?" he snarled, blood still on  
his fangs and around his lips.   
  
"Saving your ass, that's what. How do you feel?" Damon didn't  
answer as he licked at the blood around his lips.   
  
"You can leave now," he said turning to face her. Raven could  
see that he was straining not to lunge at her neck, which he was  
staring at.   
  
"I could if I didn't care if you died. But seeing as I do I  
won't leave."   
  
"I can manage on my own," he snapped angrily.   
  
"How, if you leave this room you're going to attack the first  
person you see, no matter how many witnesses you have. You might  
live for a while but you'll either be killed by hunters or put in a  
freak show where you can live off of chicken blood or something for  
the rest of your live."   
  
Damon knew what she said was probably true but he wanted her  
to leave him alone just the same.   
  
"Leave," he whispered, almost begging.   
  
"No. Come on, we've got to get you some human blood." Raven  
went over to where Damon was, but he tried to scoot away. She  
grabbed him and dragged him off the bed. "Ok, you walk to the door  
with out stumbling or stopping or whatever and I'll believe that  
you can do just fine on your own. Then I'll leave. But only then."   
  
Damon hauled himself to his feet using the bed and wall for  
assistance. He made it a full six steps before he fell to his  
knees. Damon almost felt like crying as Raven helped him back up.   
  
He needed to get away from her. Before he attacked her. As  
much as he had convinced himself that he hated her he couldn't do  
that. He told himself that it was just because she had saved his  
life. He had to admit that. If she hadn't have come along he'd  
probably be mummifying right now.   
  
Raven pretty much had to drag Damon out of the room and to her  
car. She helped him into the backseat, where he could lie down if  
he wanted to. She didn't understand why he was so against her  
helping him.   
  
Then she realized that this was probably the first time in his  
life where he had been in a situation where he had to get help.  
Raven drove to the worst part of the town. Where the deserted  
alleys and warehouses were.   
  
Damon sat in the back seat trying to ignore the thirst that  
was nearly over whelming him. It was so hard with a girl whose  
heartbeat sounded in his ears. He could almost hear the blood  
rushing in her veins.   
  
He lay down and closed his eyes. He let his mind wander to  
anywhere but blood and hunger. Somehow thoughts of his mother  
surfaced. He felt the nearly overwhelming desire to run to his  
mother and be comforted. That was stupid he told himself. His  
mother had been dead almost his entire life. And he had lead an  
extremely long life.   
  
Damon was simply burning with the need now. He had to feed.  
The dog hadn't been nearly enough. Raven could feel his hunger  
rolling from him in waves. 'This isn't good,' she thought.   
  
"Just a few more minutes," she said out loud. She and Damon,  
who had sat up, spotted the guy walking in the alley at the same  
time. Raven stopped the car just as Damon jumped out.   
  
His hunger had completely taken over him now and Damon  
couldn't do a thing about it. Raven got out of the car realizing  
that the kid hadn't been alone. There were four other humans  
yelling and rushing Damon.   
  
"What the hell?" one said skidding to a stop, seeing Damon  
feasting on his friend. Damon glanced up for a second, showing his  
mouth and teeth dripping with blood. He hadn't just bitten the guy,  
he had torn out his throat.   
  
"Don't try and leave. Thanks a lot, now I have to deal with  
these people," she snapped in Damon's general direction as the four  
turned to run.   
  
"What are you creatures? You're not human," one asked shakily.  
  
"You better believe we're not. We are the things you see in  
movies, the monsters under the bed you knew as a child. We're the  
things nightmares are made of," Raven said, enjoying scaring the  
living daylights out of them.   
  
They all turned and ran in one accord. Raven was in front of  
them in seconds.   
  
"You turn around and get back to where we were. You can't out  
run me. There's no chance of escape." The four split up into groups  
of two each and went in different directions. By now Damon had  
drained the guy dry and went after one group.   
  
Raven had to go after the second. They couldn't walk away  
after seeing what they had. Raven wiped their memories and took a  
quick bite from one. She was hungry. Sharing your blood wasn't  
always the best thing to do.   
  
When Raven was done with the two she went to find Damon. He  
wasn't far off. He had wiped their minds and had taken a lot of  
blood from one but he would still live.   
  
"Hello Damon," she said coldly. "Get in the car, I'll give you  
a ride back to your motel room."   
  
"Thanks," he said grudgingly. Raven knew he meant for  
everything, not just the ride. He got in the passengers' side this  
time. Raven felt anger try to surface and she pushed it down.   
  
It was that she disapproved of what had happened, she had done  
it herself with out the blood lust taking over her before. It was  
that she knew she would probably never see Damon again. He'd  
probably leave town tonight.   
  
They remained silent for the rest of the ride. Raven murmured  
a good bye that she knew Damon heard but he didn't respond. Raven  
went home after that and wrote in her diary. After she was done she  
went to sleep, having nothing better to do.   
  
Damon sat on the bed against the headboard in his motel room.  
He decided to leave that night. Right now he felt like an over fed  
tick. Sort of like you did after Thanksgiving dinner. He would  
leave after he woke up, he told himself as he drifted off.   
  
He slept restlessly, his head full of dreams about Raven.  
There were both good and bad dreams. Dreams of living happily ever  
after and dreams of having his heart shattered into a million  
pieces.   
  
Tossing and turning on her own bed across town Raven was  
having dreams that disturbed her. Dreams with Damon in them. She  
got the feeling that they were his memories handed to her courtesy  
of the soulmate link.   
  
Raven saw Damon with his mother, as she cried out in pain. He  
would have a baby brother or sister soon, a servant told him as  
Damon was carried out of the room. Damon decided he didn't want one  
if it was going to cause his mother pain.   
  
She saw the memory where Damon had found out his mother had  
died. He thought his brother had killed his mother and he carried  
that hatred for the rest of his life. His little brother had stolen  
the only person the little Damon had loved.   
  
She woke up after the memory faded to hear the telephone ring.  
It was her father.   
  
"Ah, so you are back. Is Damon ok?"   
  
"He's fine," Raven answered yawning.   
  
"That's good. Can you do me a favor and pick up your sister  
from school? Besides, she's dying to know who your parents are and  
why you rushed off this morning."   
  
"Of course I will. Bye Dad," she said.   
  
"Bye Raven," he replied hanging up. Raven ran a comb through  
her tousled hair and went to the high school.   
  
"What happened?" Mary demanded as she got in the car.   
  
"What do you want to know first?"   
  
"Who are you're parents?"   
  
"Linda and Frank Wolfe. And I have a brother named Gabriel."   
  
"Now, why'd you run off this morning?"   
  
"Don't hate me, but you remember that vampire last night?  
Well, he' s my soulmate and something was wrong with him and I felt  
through the link. Which is why I felt off this morning. Anyway, I  
went to go see what was wrong." Raven gave Mary a short explanation  
on what had gone on all that morning.   
  
"Dad was right. I'm glad Boxer helped out. I'm gonna miss him  
though," Mary told her. "I don't mind Damon being your soulmate.  
Just don't expect me to get all that close to him."   
  
"I don't think you'll get the chance, Damon doesn't want  
anything to do with me," Raven explained sadly.   
  
"Oh, that's too bad."   
  
"Do you want to go to the store with me? It's my turn to cook  
and I have to pick up a few things."   
  
"No thanks," Mary told her. Mary watched Raven through the  
window as she left. Then she went up the stairs as fast as she  
could with her crutches. She went into Raven's bedroom and found  
her diary just lying open on the nightstand.   
  
Mary picked it up and read today's entry. Mary found the  
information she was looking for. She called a friend who lived  
close by and asked if they could give her a ride. 15 minutes later  
Mary found herself standing in front of Damon's room.   
  
Damon wasn't dreaming of the future anymore. He was seeing  
some of Raven's memories. He saw how she had mood swings and that  
she liked to run off her anger. He woke up to the sound of someone  
knocking on the door.   
  
He opened it expecting a maid or something before he  
remembered the dog who was just lying beside the bed. He hadn't  
started to smell yet but he would soon.   
  
To his complete shock the open door revealed Raven's sister.  
The girl who was supposed to have been his meal yesterday.   
  
"Damon, we need to talk," she said.   
  
"Nice cast," he said trying to make her angry. "Aren't you  
worried that I might bite?" Mary brushed by him and walked in the  
room with out asking.   
  
"You over fed earlier," she said simply, refusing to take the  
bait, as she sat down on the only chair in the room. "Okay, look,  
you have this perfectly good soulmate, who loves you a lot. Why try  
and give that up?" she asked pointedly.   
  
"I don't need her or anyone else. I've done just fine by  
myself."   
  
"I suppose you have. I guess after losing people dear to you  
that you might be afraid to let any one get close to you again."   
  
"I'm not afraid. You don't know a thing about me so where do  
you get off saying…."   
  
"I read Raven's diary and found out what she knew about you.  
You lost a couple off people close to you and don't want to chance  
it happening again," Mary interrupted him. Damon glared at her.   
  
"So what?" he demanded.   
  
"You should give her a chance before you lose something you  
might have had. Years from now if you just leave I'm positive that  
you'll be looking back and thinking 'if only'. Don't ruin what  
could turn out to be the best thing you ever had because you're  
scared."   
  
"Some how I doubt that."   
  
"'It is better to have loved and lost then to never have to  
never have loved at all.' Think about that. It's true you know.  
With out loving you never lead a full life. You can live forever  
with out ever really living," Mary quoted for him.   
  
"You can decided what ever, but I think you should really at  
least get to know Raven before you just put her off to the side."  
Mary left because her ride was waiting for her out side still. She  
had told them she was just dropping off something with a visiting  
friend.   
  
Damon banished all thoughts about what the petite girl had  
said to him. Who knew what thinking like that lead to. He threw all  
his belongings into his duffel and threw it all in the back seat of  
his sleek, black Ferrari.   
  
Then he just left town. With no intentions of ever coming  
back. 


	4. Findings

Part 4:   
  
A couple weeks later Damon still hadn't shown up and Raven was  
slipping into a depression. What Damon had done to Mary's ankle  
healed but what he had done to Raven's heart wouldn't heal that  
fast.   
  
And it didn't help that Raven kept having dreams about Damon.  
Sometimes they were his memories and sometimes they were hers.  
Others were just full of wishful thinking.   
  
"Are you ok?" was the question every body was asking Raven  
nowadays. Her signature bird never looked happy anymore. The regal  
bird was okay if a bit tired looking. The evil bird was the only  
bird that looked normal.   
  
It made her grin every time she drew it as she imagined it  
pecking out Damon's eyes. Raven's eyes had turned cold and she  
didn't go near Circle Daybreak anymore. She was ruthless when she  
took to the streets looking for food. She didn't care if she killed  
anyone. She just didn't care about anything.   
  
Mary wanted to find Damon and kill him or something. Make him  
come back to Raven. Raven had this certain quality about her that  
pulled people into her moods so nearly every one Mary came across  
was acting sour. Mary was snappier then normal too.   
  
Damon was staying in a motel a couple states away. His mind  
was plagued by images of Raven. At night he filled his dreams. All  
during the day what Raven's sister had said came back to haunt him.  
  
"Fine!" Damon yelled at nothing. "I'll go back and see what  
she's up to." With his mind made up he stowed his duffel in the  
car. He realized with a laugh that he hadn't unpacked since he  
left, just waiting for when he finally came around and went back.   
  
He broke speed limits almost the whole way. He ran quite a few  
stop signs and red lights while he was at it. By the time Damon had  
reached the Raven's outer city limits he had been pulled over three  
times. He just brushed the policemen by influencing them.   
  
He found Raven's house by remembering her parents names and  
looking it up in the phone book. He rang the doorbell, impatiently  
shifting his weight from foot to foot.   
  
"What do you want?" Mary snapped when she opened the door.   
  
"Is Raven home?" he asked noticing she had lost the cast and  
crutches. Mary seemed to weigh whether to tell him the truth or  
not.   
  
"She's been out all day but she should be back soon, if you  
want to wait," Mary told him moving to the side to give him room to  
enter. He swept by her with a soft 'thank you'.   
  
Mary lead Damon to Raven's room with instructions to wait and  
not touch anything. She glared at him as he sat on the bed and  
smiled innocently. Mary turned and flounced out of the room.   
  
Damon waited for about half an hour before Raven got home. He  
heard Raven snarl something after her sister told her he was  
waiting for her. He couldn't make out what it was supposed to be  
though. Raven stormed up the stairs and into her room.   
  
"You have some nerve, showing up like this. Why'd you come  
back, Damon?" she snapped at him.   
  
"Your sister said some things that finally got their way  
through my skull."   
  
"Mary talked to you? When?"   
  
"Right before I skipped town. She found out where I was by  
reading your diary or something like that," he said standing to  
look her in the eye. "I don't want to lose you before I have you,"  
he said quietly.   
  
Raven softened immediately. "Took you long enough," she said  
with a grin.   
  
"Raven, I want to make this work. I don't even know you yet  
and already being away from you is torture."   
  
"I know how you feel," Raven whispered stepping closer to him  
as she held one of his hands in both of hers. Damon leaned forward  
so their lips brushed.   
  
"I don't want to feel that ever again," he told her. "Just  
tell me you'll not let it happen." Raven didn't answer. Instead she  
kissed him. Their arms wrapped around each other and they were lost  
in their own little world.   
  
The End 


End file.
